Page 24 of Across the Stars (Cosmic Threads of Fate #1)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MAE
Mae felt a strange pull from the center of her being as she watched Watai walk away. She took a step toward him, fighting the uneasy feeling that almost made her call out his name. She was perplexed by the sense of sadness that washed over her, and by her frustration at his departure.
She wished she could communicate in his language, or at least have her universal communicator to decipher what was being said.
Watai had pointed to himself and then flapped his hands together to indicate Iskzo. He was going to fly on his mount, and he’d point to her and then the two other females to tell her she was going to stay behind with them.
Even though Mae was used to communicating with gestures and simple one-word phrases when she had dealt with T’sisk workers who didn’t have universal communicators, this was a new world and a different species.
If not for the language barrier dividing her from Watai’s people like an invisible wall, they could learn and exchange so much.
She had no way of showing Watai’s people that she was intelligent. She was a capable individual who could solo pilot an entire space vessel while programming bots to play games with her. And yet, with how she was being treated on this moon, she felt like an overgrown toddler.
And she understood why.
Watai’s people had never encountered another species before.She had appeared out of nowhere, and they had no idea what to do with her. Some didn’t agree with her being there, based on what she had learned from the commotion at breakfast.
Still, Watai and most of the others she’d interacted with had been understanding and welcoming. Mae was excited about the new experiences that lay ahead of her, and she hoped to learn more about the moon, its people, and why they were obsessed with some cosmic thread of fate.
As Watai vanished between the large glowing branches on the back of Iskzo, she turned to Yawix and Xarntu, the two alien women who had been assigned to look after her while he was away.
“Mae,” Yawix said, giving her a gentle smile as she gestured for her to follow.
Mae could tell by the kindness in her amber eyes that she understood Mae’s predicament and probably pitied her.
The mature lines on her face made her appear older than Watai, and possibly even older than his sister.
Her blue skin was darker as well, a rich navy color with teal patches along her back and sides that glistened in the sunlight.
Her long coral-pink hair was braided and adorned with shell beads throughout the strands.
Mae wore a bikini similar to the older ladies, but they both wore long necklaces around their necks. Yawix wore a poncho made of vines tied together like netting and multiple bangle bracelets on her wrists, while her partner wore leather bracers and a tool belt around her waist, similar to Watai.
Xarntu possessed the same warrior demeanor as Watai, as evidenced by how protectively she hovered around Yawix. Her posture was reminiscent of the military personnel Mae had met during previous missions.
She had black skin with sapphire-and-emerald stripes along her back like a tiger. Her eyes were a piercing jade that seemed to glow against her dark skin, and her sapphire hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with the sides shaved.
Mae walked between the two females as they led her back to their giant tree. Their tails hovered behind her, crossing and lightly brushing against her back whenever she stumbled on the uneven ground or paused to stare at something.
Yawix and Xarntu chatted excitedly as they walked, and Mae listened, fascinated by their language and how they moved and interacted with one another.
Their language was lovely to her ears. It sounded like they were alien elves with a feline T’sisk-like accent—like deadly wind-chimes, beautiful when calm but harsh when a storm was brewing.
Mae paused as they approached the lower rungs of the tree, where the main entrance led outside and the base of the large root-like spiral staircase began. She was once again amazed by the sights and sounds that greeted her.
The community area was humming with activity as tribe members of all ages and genders worked on their crafts. She witnessed skilled workers creating beautiful textiles, weapons, and culinary delights.
Mae was surprised by the variety of blues in the crowd, ranging from the palest shade to almost black, as well as some sea-greens and violets. Mae wondered what each coloring meant, and if every tribe, like the T’sisk prides, had their own color to blend with the surrounding biome.
As they walked around the community area, Mae noticed that Yawix and Xarntu held hands and were affectionate with each other. She realized that they were a couple.
Mae watched as Yawix and Xarntu moved in synchrony.
She could see the trust and understanding in their eyes as they walked together, the way they anticipated and adjusted to each other’s movements.
Their movements were fluid and graceful, like a dance.
Mae couldn’t help but feel envious of their connection, wishing she could have a bond like that with someone.
Mae followed Yawix and Xarntu through the community area, stopping at a small workshop where a group of aliens were busy weaving baskets out of vines and reeds. Mae was fascinated by the baskets, and she was eager to learn how to make one.
Yawix noticed her interest and offered to teach her. She motioned for Mae to come closer and began to mime the basket-making process.
Mae copied her movements through the process step by step. First, they gathered the vines and reeds from the jungle, then they cleaned and soaked them to make them pliable.
Yawix handed her a bundle of vines and reeds and showed her how to start weaving them together to create the basket shape. Mae quickly found that it was a lot harder than it looked, and she struggled to keep the vines and reeds in place.
Yawix and Xarntu saw her struggle and came to help her. Yawix demonstrated how to hold the vines and reeds correctly, as well as how to tie the appropriate knots and weaves. Xarntu assisted her in repairing any mistakes and keeping the weaving tight.
Mae wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm as she sat beside Yawix, surrounded by other tribe members working on their weaving projects at various stages of completion.
She enjoyed working with her hands, whether it was simple repairs on the ship or programming bots, but arts and crafts were out of her comfort zone. She had never excelled at ancient clay pottery or painting. Her mind was more predisposed to technical pursuits such as flying and robotics.
Mae was a quick study, however, and found the process to be both difficult and rewarding.
Yawix’s patience and skill in teaching her impressed her, especially given their language barrier.
Mae was grateful to be a hands-on learner, so watching Yawix and the others around her work on their pieces provided great examples for her to try to imitate.
Xarntu was also attentive, assisting Mae and making certain she had all the necessary materials.
As they worked, Mae couldn’t help but admire Yawix and Xarntu’s relationship. The way they worked together and supported each other was beautiful and inspiring. She found that their love for each other was genuine and strong.
Mae was determined to make a basket, and with the help of Yawix and Xarntu, she finally succeeded.
She looked down at the lopsided basket, which had uneven patterned weaves and a lid that was far too big. She was pleased with the end result; it wasn’t perfect, and she knew it wasn’t pretty, but it was a start.